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No dash light's

ok i was just driving along tonight and my dash lights all went out, i assuming it was a fuse that blew, i hope, now i hooked up my tripminder(clock portion only until i figure out the rest) today but i dident hook up the wire that dims it when the lights are on beacuse on my car the wire is brown, and there is no brown wire on the tripminder so i dident want to play the guessing game and end up frying the tripminder, any way would not having that hooked up caused to much current and blew the fuse? can i put a bigger fuse in, or could someone tell me the colour of the wire on the tripminder for the dimmer?

Not connecting the dimmer wire would not cause the fuse to blow. I would not suggest installing a larger fuse. Fuses blow when there is a problem, so check for damaged wires for anything that may have been added that uses the light circuit.

Another incentive to check the headlight switch - if ya don't have an aftermarket relayed harness for yer headlights then all the current for them is passing though the headlight switch, so if it's going bad it can very well start you a nice little electrical fire.

ok,, according to my owners manual, it says that the 15 Amp fuse for the cluster illumination, also powers the tail lights, marker lights, pillar lights,etc,, well all that other stuff still works, so i guess it would be nothing else but the head light switch, when the dash lights went out i herd an arc in that area and the fuses are under the head light switch, so assumed it was a fuse, now would parts stores carry that type of headlight switch? and how do i get the knob off the front? i cant figure it out,

i dont think so cause i had um tapped up rely good, and they where still taped up this morning, when i had it appart to hook the dimmer up, the only other one i could think of is my tach light wire but there are no bare spots, and the wire his taped well at the connection,

If youre good, you can reach up under the dash and push the lil button on the switch to release the knob. Me, I just loosen the dash trim off that side, turn it towards the door and take out the bolts that way. Much easier and less likely to break the trim panel if u can get under there and pull the knob first.

If you dont have auto-dim lights, the switch is cheap. On my car, my light switch was like $28, but if I had auto lamps and digital dash, $200 for the switch. Thats probably Lincoln-specific though because Towncars have autolamps for the interior lights like others do, but they also have an autolamp circuit that turns the headlights on when its dark. I think that part is where it gets real friggin expensive.

ok where bouts on the back of the switch is the realise buttion for the knob?

I think i remember it being on the top or passenger side of the switch, just behind the trim...so closest to you. It is just a tiny piece of plastic that you can push in that releases rod that the knob is on. Its a major PITA to get to. I usually just take the knob off, then unscrew the switch and pull it out. I dont think the knob is supposed to be pulled off, but yank hard enough and it will come off, and still go back on fine later, and easier to pull off next time

ok i baught a brand new switch today and installed it, but still no dash lights i must have some bad wire's or somthing i guess, ohh well ill have to go without them for a while till i find the problem, i dont have time to rip the dash apart now

ok,, according to my owners manual, it says that the 15 Amp fuse for the cluster illumination, also powers the tail lights, marker lights, pillar lights,etc,, well all that other stuff still works...

I may have found something here - Im looking at my 85's EVTM (bound to be very simmilar you yours) and I see the 15 amp fuse before the headlight switch. This diagram also shows a 5amp fuse after the headlamp switch for.... the instrument cluster, HVAC conrol, ashtray, clock, and radio illimunation. oh, and also the tripminder
I bet you got discouraged and didnt continue to read about the rest of the fuses. I hope this helps